Apopka resident credits Orange County surplus-lot program and Habitat with helping her secure a home

Latonya Riley, a resident of Apopka, described overcoming cancer and said receiving a donated lot through Orange County's surplus lot program and support from Habitat helped her family secure stable housing. "The day that I got my keys and cut the ribbon on my house I was overjoyed," Riley said.

Riley said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, underwent multiple surgeries and hospital stays, and continued to care for her children during treatment. She described emotional lows during that period, telling listeners, "Some days I didn't wanna live because it was hard going through, you know, that ordeal." She said that staying motivated and keeping a goal helped her persevere.

A representative from Habitat, the nonprofit mentioned in the remarks, framed Riley's story as part of a larger housing challenge. "I think we're in a housing crisis all across the US," the Habitat representative said, and added that in fast-growing areas such as Orange County, "with government support, non-profit support, and philanthropy altogether, working altogether, we can make a difference." The representative cited Orange County's surplus lot program as a way to obtain donated property that can be turned into affordable homes.

Speaking about the program's outcomes, the Habitat representative said placing families in homes "means really changing the trajectory of her entire family," citing improved safety, health and school outcomes for children. Riley said Geraldine was by her side for the ribbon-cutting and described the moment as "just a great feeling."

The remarks in the transcript combine a personal testimony about illness and recovery with a nonprofit account of how donated county lots have been used to build homes. The comments do not record any formal government action or vote; they illustrate how one resident's experience intersects with local programs for creating affordable housing.